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6. With the Chinese we could argue that we were neither providing an incentive to leave nor a disincentive; it would
be up to them and the SARG whether to offer incentives to stay. (Anyway we are not committed by the Joint Declaration to work for a smooth transition in 1997, although we have
stated that as a shared objective).
7. It is hardly in the SAR's interest to employ reluctant
servants (and we have had hints that some in HKG now feel
that it might not be impossible for HKG itself to offer
early payment of pensions to the few officers concerned).
8.
Although a change of policy here would add to the sense of resentment felt by non-HMOCS Hong Kong civil servants,
this might be eased if HKG launched a scheme to provide
greater reassurance to all civil servants about their pensions: we are encouraging them to do this.
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